Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Cape Verdean Music Society (SCM) threatened on Wednesday to resort to legal action to demand payment of overdue royalties from political parties and media outlets that remain indebted to musicians.
The information was released at a press conference by the president of the General Assembly of the Cape Verdean Music Society (SCM), Homero Fonseca, on the sidelines of the institution’s ordinary general assembly, held to approve the management documents for 2025 and the working instruments for 2026.
According to him, the SCM faced difficulties in collecting amounts foreseen for last year, due to non-payment by some entities that use musical works without compensating the respective authors and composers.
Among the cases mentioned, Homero Fonseca highlighted the media, especially audiovisual media, saying that the Cape Verdean Radio and Television (RTC) is currently the institution’s “biggest concern”.
“Because it is a state entity, the body that most concerns us is precisely the RTC, because the amount it owes to SCM is really high,” he said.
According to the same source, the assembly should recommend to the SCM management the adoption of “a firm position” regarding the debtors, including possible recourse to legal action “if necessary” to guarantee the rights of the musicians.
Homero Fonseca also criticized political parties for using music in election campaigns without due payment, indicating that, in last year’s municipal elections, only the MpD regularized the situation.
Meanwhile, he stated that the SCM has already begun negotiations with the parties running in the legislative elections of May 17th, showing optimism regarding the fulfillment of obligations in this campaign.
Another aspect raised by the president of the general assembly concerns the compensation fee for private copying, the distribution of which he considers unfair to musicians.
According to him, currently 20% of this fee is allocated to the Ministry of Culture for the Autonomous Culture Fund, 30% to the film sector, 25% to SCM, and the remaining 25% to another management company.
For Homero Fonseca, this model should be reviewed to ensure a “fairer” distribution of the collected funds.
He also called for increased awareness among music users, arguing that creators should be properly compensated for their work.
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